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Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Ask A Korean! News: Race Riots in France

Seems like there are more race riots in France, and apparently this time it's more violent than the riots in 2005. According to this New York Times article, police officers are being shot at by shotguns.

High unemployment rate in France is a huge contributor to the riots; French society's generally racist attitude is also a big factor. The Korean complains often about living as a minority in America, but let there be no mistake about it. The Korean sincerely believes that if you have to live as a minority somewhere, there is no better place than the good ol' U.S. of A.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@hotmail.com.

3 comments:

As a person of French/Italian background it was with interest that I read your blog (11/28/07) about the riots in France and French racism.

Back in 1986, I was a Psychology major at the "University of Scandal & Corruption (otherwise known as USC), and I remember a two-class session on the topic of racism, and how research was presented that indicated that the most racist people on earth are the Japanese, with the Koreans coming in at a very close second.

Of course, I could've told the presenting, Psych professor about Korean racism, because I had seen how Korean shop owners in South Central (now South) L.A. were treating the African-American people who came into their stores. Again, this was 1986--a full six years before the infamous L.A. riots that were sparked by the Rodney King Verdicts.

When the L.A. riots broke out in 1992, it was not surprising that some of the first stores to be vandalized were the Korean-owned stores (liquor stores in particular).

As part of his sermon on the mount, Jesus states, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3, NKJV).

I strongly suggest that Koreans start dealing with their own racism, otherwise--just like France, and just like the '92--they'll end up being victims of race riots.

From: The KoreanTo: Bob S.Re: France Race Riots

Dear Bob,

I am a church-going Christian, and I take my Bible verses seriously. So you'd be delighted to learn that I already wrote a very lengthy post on the origins of Korean people's own racism: http://askakorean.blogspot.com/2007/03/cant-we-all-just-get-along.html

Now, as to your tendency for fire off a self-righteous email without either understanding the intent of the original post (that U.S. is less racist than France, rather than that Koreans are not racist) or bothering to look at my whole body of work, allow me to quote Whitney Houston: "Kiss my ass."

Best,

The Korean

From: Bob S.To: The KoreanRe: France Race Riots

That's good and fine, but to quote a Jewish proverb, "Choose your enemies wisely, for you'll become like those whom you despise."

From: The KoreanTo: Bob S.Re: France Race Riots

Really? My favorite Japanese proverb says "The only cure for stupidity is death." Sounds like you could use some cure.

I know it has been already two years since you all had an exchange of ideas on Koreans being racist. But, I would like to add something quickly. I am currenlty going to Emory Univ in Atlanta Georgia, and I came to the US for my sophomore year of high school. I just want to say Koreans are harsh racists second to none. I am from Korea and I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

I am surprise of the poor quality of this article, it is not serious and seems rather ideological than neutral. The riots you are talking about were not "race riots", neither the one of 2005. I mean, this assumption is so simplistic. You cannot transfer the discrimination problems of the US to France (where the policy is different, and the tensions less explicit).

"french society's generally racist", who are you to make such a statement? There are so many works and thesis from Human sciences which tend to prove the opposite. And more which consider the comparison in this field, between the US and France just impossible and irrelevant.

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About TK

The Korean is a Korean American living in Washington D.C. / Northern Virginia. He lived in Seoul until he was 16, then moved to Los Angeles area. The Korean refers to himself in the third person because he thinks it sounds cool.